❖ Shar‘i Ruling and Expiation for Frequently Swearing and Breaking Oaths ❖
This writing is excerpted from the book “500 Questions and Answers for Women” based on the Fatwas of the Scholars of the Haramain, translated by Hafiz Abdullah Saleem.
❖ Question:
I often say “By Allah” (والله) during conversation. Does this count as a valid oath?
If I break such an oath, how should I offer kaffārah (expiation)?
❖ Answer:
If a sane and responsible Muslim—man or woman—says “By Allah!” (والله) repeatedly, with deliberate intent to affirm or deny an action, such as:
- “By Allah! I will not meet so-and-so,”
- “By Allah! I will meet so-and-so,”
…and then fails to act accordingly, then this person has broken a valid oath.
❖ Expiation (Kaffārah) for Breaking a Valid Oath:
As per the Qur’anic command:
﴿فَكَفَّارَتُهُ إِطْعَامُ عَشَرَةِ مَسَاكِينَ…﴾ [Al-Mā’idah: 89]
The kaffārah includes one of the following:
➊ Feeding ten needy persons from the average of what you feed your own family,
– This means ½ ṣāʿ (approximately 1.5 kg) of staple food like rice or dates per person.
➋ Clothing ten needy persons,
– Each must be given enough clothing in which ṣalāh can be validly performed, such as a shirt and lower garment or a cloth to cover the body.
➌ Freeing a slave, if available.
If none of the above is possible:
➍ Fast for three consecutive days.
❖ Important Clarification:
- If someone says “By Allah!” without deliberate intent, as part of casual speech, it is considered a لغو قسم (idle oath) and no expiation is due.
Proof:
﴿لَا يُؤَاخِذُكُمُ اللَّـهُ بِاللَّغْوِ فِي أَيْمَانِكُمْ﴾ [5:89]
❖ Repetition of the Same Oath:
✔ If a person takes multiple oaths for the same action and then breaks it:
→ Only one kaffārah is required.
✔ But if a person takes oaths regarding different actions, and breaks all of them,
→ Then a separate kaffārah is required for each broken oath.
Example:
- “By Allah! I will meet Zayd.”
- “By Allah! I will not talk to ʿAmr.”
- “By Allah! I will hit Bakr.”
If all three oaths are broken, then three separate kaffārāt are due.
والله ولي التوفيق
(Former Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia – Shaykh Ibn Bāz رحمه الله)
